Mother’s Day falls on May 8 this year and it is celebrated across the globe with lot of enthusiasm. On this day, children thank their mothers for all that they have done and in appreciation of their love buy her mementoes, cards, flowers and gifts. Some of them take their mothers for lunch, while others help their mother in her work at home. In India too, this day is celebrated and has caught on since the last decade thanks to the invasion of cable TV and satellite channels into our homes. Origin of the day The festival was started by the Greeks and dedicated to Rhea, the mother of many deities, and Great Mother of Gods, Cybele, by the Romans. This festival was celebrated on the fourth Sunday in Lent in honour of Mother Mary, mother of Christ. It was also called the Mothering Sunday in England as a tribute to all mothers. However, in the US, celebrations began 150 years ago, as Mother’s Work Day after Appalachian homemaker Anna Jarvis organised a day to raise awareness of poor health conditions in her community.

The day caught the attention of Julia Ward Howe, a Boston poet, pacifist, suffragist, and author of the lyrics to the “Battle Hymn of the Republic,” as she believed that the women suffered the loss of human life more than anyone else. Anna’s dream became a reality, when her daughter successfully toiled and convinced Woodrow Wilson in signing a bill recognising Mother’s Day as a national holiday in 1914. On this day, many wear white carnations. In India In our country too, this festival is catching on.The media and the card companies announce the day in advance and it acts as a notification for those willing to do something for their mothers. Apart from this now that many Indians are settled abroad, they celebrate this day along with their friends there and send mementoes to their mothers back home. Some of the ad jingles also celebrate the day and goad the children to buy something for their mother. The metropolitan cities are way ahead in celebrating this day, as the card companies, restaurants and other shops want to rake in the moolah cashing in on the sentiments.Sit back and relax. Indian mythology has many stories of a mother’s love for her child and how the child’s antics bring joys to the mother. One must not forget that the mother is the child’s first teacher, who teaches him his first words or first steps.‘Maya mori main ne he makhan khayo’ (Oh! Mother, I only have eaten the butter) This line
is very popular in every Indian language while describing the antics of Lord Krishna. Krishna though born to Devaki and Vasudev as their eighth child grows up in Brindavan in the lap of Yashodha and Nandgopal. He spends his childhood there and the holy scriptures describe the leelas of Balgopal Krishna. The leelas depict the love between the mother and child. In modern days, these leelas add inspiration to the present day mothers.The love of Kaushalya for Lord Ram is huge as there are many innumerable songs depicting this. Even though Rani Kaikeyi doted on Ram in his childhood, her jealousy surfaced when she asked her son Bharat to be crowned the king. There is no sadness in the eyes of Ram when he is banished from the kingdom, he prays for the well-being of his mothers. On the other hand, when  Ram sends pregnant Devi Sita into the jungles, she fufills her duty towards her children Luv and Kush. She brings them up without disclosing her identity and hands them over to Lord Ram at the Ashwamedh yagna battle. She then embraces mother Earth.The Indian mythology has many stories of mother-children, be it Devi Parvati – Lord Ganesh & Kartekeyan; Kunti – Yudhishtar, Bhim, Arjun, Nakul & Sahdev; Devi Anjani -Lord Hanuman; to name a few who have led their children’s path. In the war between Kauravas and Pandavas, Rani Gandhari opens her blindfold to save her son Duryodhan. Even today, many mothers sing lullabies of Lord Ram or Lord Krishna to put their children to sleep. In modern times, friction starts once the son gets a wife as the two women are not prepared to share the man. One is the person, who has stood by him till he got a partner, while the other is the one, who will shoulder the responsibilities till the dusk of his life. Recently, one of the forwards doing the rounds on
internet is as follows:Being a mother....After 17 years of marriage, my wife wanted me to take another woman out to dinner and a movie. She said, ‘I love you, but I know this other woman loves you and would love to spend some time with you.’ The other woman that my wife wanted me to visit was my MOTHER, who has been alone for 20 years, but the demands of my work and my two boys had made it possible to visit her only occasionally.That night I called to invite her to go out for dinner and a movie. ‘What’s wrong, aren’t you well,’ she asked? My mother is the type of woman who suspects that a late night call or a surprise invitation is a sign of bad news.‘I thought it would be pleasant to spend some
time with you,’ I responded. ‘Just the two of us.’ She thought about it for a moment, and then said, ‘I would like that very much.’That Friday after work, as I drove over to pick her up I was a bit nervous. When I arrived at her house, I noticed that she, too, seemed to be nervous about our date. She waited in the door. She had curled her hair and was wearing the dress that she had worn to celebrate her last birthday on November 19th. She smiled from a face that was as radiant as an angel’s. ‘I told my friends that I was going to go out with my son, and they were impressed,’ she said, as she got into that new white van.‘They can’t wait to hear about our date’. We went to a restaurant that, although not elegant, was very nice and cozy. My mother took my arm as if she were the First Lady. After we sat down, I had to read the menu. Her eyes could only read large print. Half way through the entries, I lifted my eyes and saw Mom sitting there staring at me. A nostalgic smile was on her lips. ‘It was I who used to have to read the menu when you were small,’ she said. ‘Then it’s time that you relax and let me return the favour,’ I responded.During the dinner, we had an agreeable conversation- -nothing extraordinary but catching up on recent events of each other’s life. We talked so much that we missed the movie. As we arrived at her house later, she said, ‘I’ll go out with you again, but only if you let me invite you.’ I agreed.How was your dinner date?’ asked my wife when I got home. ‘Very nice, much more so than I could have imagined,’ I answered. A few days later, my mother died of a massive heart attack. It  ppened so suddenly that I didn’t have a chance to do anything for her.

Some time later, I received an envelope with a copy of a restaurant receipt from the same place mother and I had dined. An attached note said: ‘I paid this bill in advance. I wasn’t sure that I could be there; but nevertheless, I paid for two plates - one for you and the other for your wife. You will never know what that night meant for me. I love you, son.’At that moment, I understood the importance of saying in time: ‘I LOVE YOU’ and to give our loved ones the time that they deserve. Nothing in life is more important than your family. Give them the time they deserve, because these things cannot be put off till ‘some other time.’The above highlights the importance of mother and whenever I have read this it has brought
tears to my eyes. I just pray that one realizes the importance of mother. How many times we have run up to her and dried our tears when we have hurt ourselves (physically) or done badly in our climb to success. She has stood by us in all times and even today, she thinks of only our happiness and is afraid that we may hurt ourselves. Express your love to your mothers not only on this day, but on all other days too, as you would not be where you are without her. It is said that Anna Jr. realised that the day had turned commercial and in 1923, she petitioned the court to stop celebration of the Mother’s Day festival. There is also belief that before her death in 1948, Anna Jr had confided in regretting starting the mother’s day tradition. However,the second Sunday of May has gained popularity to celebrate the day. On this day, hotels, restaurants and telephone lines record highest traffic, as sons and daughters take advantage to express their love and appreciation to their mothers.